A 207-year-old temple belonging to a family in Ekbalpore in southwest Kolkata was looted on Tuesday, police said.
Two silver crowns on the forehead of two idols in the temple are missing, the police said.
According to Soumitra Mukherjee, the owner of the house on Bhukailash Road where the temple is located, his wife Sanchita was the first person to notice that the crowns were missing.
The complaint that the family has filed with Ekbalpore police station mentions that Sanchita had last seen the crowns around 4.30pm on Tuesday while closing the temple. She opened the temple at 6pm and noticed the theft, the police said.
“According to the complaint, the silver crowns, each weighing 65 grams, have been stolen. There are no CCTV cameras in the house. The main gate of the compound remains open through out the day as people from the neighbourhood visit the temple every day,” said an officer of Ekbalpore police station.
The complaint also mentions that the temple was established by the family in 1815.
An investigator who visited the spot said there were apparent marks of failed attempts to remove other ornaments from the idols.
“It appears that the thief was aware of the time when the temple would remain closed. Given the fact that the temple is accessible to all, it was not difficult for anyone to conduct a recce of the temple,” said the investigator.
At least one CCTV camera has been found on the main road facing the lane that leads to the residence where the temple is located, The police said.
Cops are scanning the footage from that camera.
No one was arrested till Wednesday evening.
